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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22503088">My Hero Academia : Stand Alone Complex</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronnambi/pseuds/Ronnambi'>Ronnambi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ghost in the Shell (Anime &amp; Manga), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AR of BNHA and GitS:SAC, Black Projects, Espionage, F/F, F/M, Hiding in Plain Sight, Love, M/M, No traitors in UA, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Public Security Section 9 is functionally immortal, Special Operations, Super Soldier Izuku, Super soldier projects, Trust, black ops, counter-espionage, tinker tailor soldier spy - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:15:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22503088</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronnambi/pseuds/Ronnambi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In 2004 A.D., the first Quirk user was born. As the prominence and activity of enhanced individuals started to rise, governments green-lighted multiple black projects and skunkworks, prompting a new, global arms race.</p>
<p>To put an end to the exploitation being forced onto the new Quirk users, a new profession rose in prominence.</p>
<p>Super heroism.</p>
<p>While the backlash prevented governments from exploiting this new foundry of weapons, technology rose to prominence.</p>
<p>Cyberisation. Net diving. Creating a new frontier to be explored, and wars to be fought on.</p>
<p>This is the story, of wars fought in the shadows. Of monsters with a thousand names and a thousand faces.</p>
<p>And those who shone a light on them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Sousaki Shino | Mandalay, Aramaki Daisuke/Kayabuki Yoko, Batou/Kusanagi Motoko, Hagakure Tooru/Todoroki Shouto, Iida Tensei | Ingenium/Todoroki Fuyumi, Iida Tenya/Uraraka Ochako, Jirou Kyouka/Kaminari Denki, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight/Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Midoriya Hisashi/Midoriya Inko, Midoriya Izuku/Yaoyorozu Momo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. SAC 1 : Unforseen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>SAC 1: Unforseen</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Location: [REDACTED], Date:XX/XX/2XX9, Time: 1423hrs local</b>
</p>
<p>“<em> Hunter, this is Overlord. Prep for site-recon mission. Amber alert on UA High facility, ‘Unforseen Simulation Joint’. As of five minutes ago, EM interference was detected on our scans of the facility. Your objective is to locate and identify the cause of interference. ROE is to observe and report, do not engage. I repeat, do not engage </em>” came the voice of my commander as I embarked onto the stealth VTOL that would help me infiltrate the school.</p>
<p><em> “Overlord, I copy all. Will arrive in target area in 10 mikes” </em>I replied. Dressed in an integrated combat armour, the visor prevented anyone from identifying me. I was armed with a suppressed L85A4 assault rifle, SFP10 pistol and KM2000 combat knives, with flashbang, smoke and EFCG grenades secured on the tactical rigging. There were no insignia, no regimental flashes. The armour was painted with urban fractal camouflage, allowing me to remain undetected at range in the current environment.</p>
<p>“<em> All systems green Merlin?” </em> I asked the tactical virtual intelligence monitoring my armour.</p>
<p>“<em> Armour systems are green. What’s the plan boss?” </em>” came the TVI’s voice, double-checking the integrated armour systems status. I pulled up the plans of the U.S.J.</p>
<p><em> “Like Overlord said, observe and report. Low-impact. The USJ is divided into 8 zones. In the north we have the entry, northeast we have their ‘Ruins Zone’ for urban environment training. Northwest is the ’Downpour Zone’, simulating a flash flood. The central plaza is where we can get an idea of the situation. On the east, we have the ‘Landslide Zone’, the name is self-explanatory. South, we have the ‘Mountain Zone’ for alpine training, South-west is the ‘Conflagration Zone’, which simulates a fire-emergency and last is the ‘Flood Zone’, which simulates maritime rescu….? Ok, seriously whiskey tango foxtrot came up with these names? Shouldn’t it be the ‘Maritime Zone’?.... </em> *mumble**mumble**mutter**mutter* <em> ” </em>, Merlin coughed to bring me back on track. </p>
<p>“<em> Ah! Sorry, our ingress point is going to be here, above the Landslide Zone. From there, we can go down there and set up an overwatch. We observe and report back to Overlord on the situation” </em></p>
<p><em> “Assuming things don’t go Old Man Murphy’s way. You do tend to end up on ops like that. Even on leave, we always end up getting into weird situations” </em>Merlin commented. Ok, now hang on one second, that was…. Very fair. Damnit.</p>
<p><em> “That's ...fair. Here’s hoping it’s only a technical flaw, quick in and out job” </em>I replied as the VTOL crossed into Japanese airspace, enroute to Tokyo. </p>
<p>ETA: 5 mikes. </p>
<p>
  <b> <em>MHA : SAC</em> </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “<em> Hunter, this is Talon-1, we have visual on the mission site. Beginning ELINT recon, patching through to your HUD” </em>came the voice of our pilot as we swept over the facility. The visor was immediately filled with the image of the domed white building, set apart and away from the main building. </p>
<p>"<em> Talon, Hunter. Switch to multiview </em>" I ordered. The view immediately shifted to a mixed false colour thermal, magnetic and acoustic imaging, created by a suite of sensors set on the nose of the VTOL. This was then parsed into a live feed, allowing us to get a better understanding of the situation on the ground in built-up areas.</p>
<p>The feed showed a jerky, jittery feed, which was definitely unexpected.</p>
<p>“<em> Merlin, clean it up </em>” I ordered, knowing from experience that he would be able to clean up the interference.</p>
<p>“<em> On it. And…..done. Huh. This has never happened before </em>” Merlin commented as the interference remained. Considering that these were passive sensors, we shouldn’t be getting this problem. </p>
<p>“<em> Hacker? </em>” Talon-1 asked, confused. Merlin and I thought along a different line.</p>
<p><em> “Quirk. Or a combo Quirk-hacker. Not our first rodeo. Deploy the Argus drones. We switch to active scans. Use them to triangulate the source of interference to take him out. I’m contacting Overlord. Overlord, Hunter. Massive EM and acoustic interference at target facility indicate hostile activity. Permission to engage?” </em>I asked as I rapidly ran through orders, feeling the change in weight as Talon-1 deployed the Argus active scan drones around the facility, to get a better picture and triangulate the hacker/Quirk user.</p>
<p>“<em> Hunter, Overlord. You are weapons free. Protect them at all costs. We’re raising the alarm at UA, expect local reinforcements. Your orders are to remain unobserved, clear? </em>”  </p>
<p><em> “I’ve ID’ed the location of the EM interference. He’s letting out a cycling burst of interference, broad spectrum. He’s in the group in the Mountain Zone </em>”</p>
<p><em> “Copy Overlord. Hunter moving in. Merlin, get me an ingress and mark that group for termination </em>” I replied as I moved to the rear loading bay as it opened, blasting me with backwash as I ran out of it and leapt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b> <em>MHA : SAC</em> </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yaoyorozu Momo was trying to keep her composure as she and her classmates Jirou Kyoka and Kurozetto Saku were getting hemmed in. Jirou was supporting Kurozetto as she had been set upon by a nasty virus, causing her to drop in a heap.</p>
<p>Just when she knew that she should start panicking, a blinding flash filled her vision and a disorienting bang deafened and disoriented her. She fell to the ground, disoriented and confused, waiting for the inevitable death to descend.</p>
<p>It didn’t come.</p>
<p>As her vision came back to her, she saw that all the villains were on the ground, lying in pools of some unidentified crimson and white liquid. A metallic scent hit her nose, causing her gorge to rise. Swallowing, she looked around muzzily, as her vision popped in and out of focus to see an armed and armoured figure kneeling over Jirou, who was rolling around the floor, screaming.</p>
<p>Lurching to stand, she took three tries to get a staff to form. By then the figure seemed to have realised that she was trying to attack him. They were waving their hands in strange hand signs.</p>
<p><b>“-ah! Woah! I’m Blue! I’m Blue! Friendly! I’m a friendly! I’m trying to help her!” </b>they said, voice masked, as Momo’s ears stopped ringing. She still took a step forward and shoved the tip of her staff under their chin. </p>
<p>“And <em> why the fuck </em>should I believe that?!” she asked, her nerves shot, causing her language to slip. Her tutors would have been horrified by her language. Her mum, while publicly horrified at her daughter’s language, had heard and said worse during and after her tenure in the JGSDF and would commiserate with her. Her father would have given her a quietly disappointed ‘I’m so proud of you, good work’ look just to get her tutors’ out of his hair.</p>
<p>Thankfully, her tutors weren’t the most intelligent people around.</p>
<p><b>“Maybe it’s because I just saved you all? I wouldn’t even be here if you didn’t have two seriously wounded combatants. I was trying to stabilise her, but she’s in too much pain. Acoustic Quirk?” </b>they asked calmly, even with a staff jammed into their throat. </p>
<p>“Take off your helmet. I want to be able to see who the hell am I talking to” Momo demanded, unwilling to trust someone so obviously armed and armoured, despite all the dead villains. Even if they, as her mum called it, ‘slotted’ them all, didn’t mean they were friendly, whatever their claims maybe. They cock their head to the side, then in a move so fast and fluid, knocks aside her staff and puts her into a half nelson. Before she could even process what had happened, let alone put up a counter, her hands were zip-tied in front of her.</p>
<p>She was then picked up in a fireman’s carry and placed in a seated position against the rocks away from the pile of bodies. They then went back, picked up and then placed her classmates near her so that she could see what they were doing. Before she could yell or bite them, something was put onto her mouth, gagging her.</p>
<p>Placing a hand on the back of Kurozetto’s neck, she suddenly gasped, her red eyes flying open, framed by her dark blue hair.</p>
<p><b>“Be a little careful there kid. That virus did a number on your systems” </b>the armoured figure said, their tone aiming for comforting. Guessing by how startled she was, she didn’t know what to think.</p>
<p><b>“You’ll be a little disoriented, so don’t get up immediately. Wait for three minutes, then head for wherever the rally point is” </b>they said, looking at Momo pointedly, causing her to huff in annoyance. Shaking their head, they stepped over to Jirou, who was in a foetal position. Taking out an injector gun, they placed it against her neck and fired the payload. She slumped over. </p>
<p>Just before Momo could say anything despite the gag, they moved Jirou out off her position to lay her on her back. As Momo made more indignant noises, they took out a tube and placed it’s nozzle against first her left, then her right ear. They then stood up, letting her see a silvery foam plugging her ears.</p>
<p><b>“She’ll be fine, just make sure that she doesn’t take that out until she meets a medic. It’ll protect her ears from further damage. And are you ok princess?” </b>they asked, causing Momo to squawk in protest when they wiped her bang off of her face, tucking it behind her ear. She shook her head in the negative, which seemed to satisfy them. They quickly stood up and ran off of the ledge, leaving Momo with her two injured classmates and a pile of corpses.</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>MHA:SAC</em> </b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. SAC 2: Assault</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hunter vs. The League of Villains</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> <b> <em>SAC 2 : Assault</em> </b></p>
<p><b>Location: </b> Mountain Zone, Unforseen Simulation Joint, UA High, Mustafu City, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan <b>, Date:</b> 11/03/2149 <b>, Time: </b> 1439 hrs local  <b>POV: ‘Hunter’</b></p>
<p>I switched my adaptive camo back on as I navigated to a perch that Merlin had marked for me. Considering the situation, I really needed to set up an overwatch. Seeing a spout of water erupt from the now rechristened (in my mind) ‘Maritime’ Zone with a thunderous boom, I knew that time was running out for the kids here.</p>
<p>“<em> You do know that they can save themselves, right? </em>” Merlin asked me sardonically as I reached the waypoint, while he fed me intel on the enemy positions provided by the Argus drone recce.</p>
<p>“<em> Blame it on my overdeveloped sense of responsibility </em>” I snarked back as I took a knee and studied the situation.</p>
<p>It was bad.</p>
<p>One of the principal’s, identified as Pro Hero <b>‘Eraserhead’</b>, was taking on a group of around thirty on his own, using a combination of his Quirk, martial arts and a cybernetic capture weapon. Above him, near the entrance was a group of principals in a defensive position, facing off against a target in the form of purple black smoke.</p>
<p>“<em> This is why I despise capt...oh nice one! Yeah, that tango is gone” </em> Merlin commented, as a quick punch to the throat fractured a tango’s larynx. He’ll choke to death in about… two mikes.</p>
<p>“<em> Merlin, use the Argus to terminate the hostiles. Let’s clean up </em>” I ordered as I set up. Sighting down, I made a target count at 30. I acquired the one with a strange eyeballs quirk, shot. Kill. Next, target with mutation quirk, shot. Kill. As the tangos falter, I capitalised on it and start slotting them. Three down, fourth with a round through the neck. Five went down with a gut shot. He’ll bleed out. Six and seven ran to cover, letting me line up a nice clean shot, taking six out through the head, with the bullet puncturing seven’s lung.  Merlin used the five Argus drones in the facility and fired three shots, taking out fifteen. The rest of the targets were too close to the principal, making it too dangerous for us to snipe them.</p>
<p>“<em> Alert! Twelve o’clock high! </em>” warned Merlin. I looked up to see a huge, black bird man coming down on me, his arm cocked back. As adrenaline hit my receptors, my perception of time slowed. I snapped my rifle up, thumb the selector to auto and open fire. The bullets hit centre mass but had no effect on him. I launched myself out of the perch, the artificial muscles in the body armour launching me off of the cliff. I switch on adaptive camo into my fall, allowing me-</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>HOLY SHIT!!</em> </b>
</p>
<p>I was suddenly pulled, my leg being jerked. The next thing I knew I was being slammed into the ground. I felt the air knocked out of me, my vision getting blurry from having had my head knocked against the ground. Sheer reflex saved me when I raised my rifle, using it to stop the punch. Not that it made a difference with how easily he broke the rifle, but it bought me a precious half second, allowing me to use the propulsion system to slide up and away from him. I whipped out my pistol and shot him straight in the head. The only thing to happen was that his head jerked back, before he slowly, <em> menacingly </em> , turned to look at me. And then birdman <em> screeched </em>at me like a hawk diving onto its prey and charged at me. </p>
<p>I slid a flashbang off of my rigging as I rolled to my feet, launching myself at him. I snapped off two shots into the birdman's eye, causing him to flinch back. I used the shock to leap over him and shoved the primed flashbang into the birdman's exposed brain. I landed, slid my knife out of its sheath and slashed at birdman’s ankles, hoping the blade of the knife would cut through the skin. As I sliced through one, he pivoted and slammed a left hook on my head, cracking my helmet’s visor and sending me flying. The flashbang detonated simultaneously, leaving me disoriented.</p>
<p><em> “Diseng--un-er. All--rein--nts inbound.---it, switching to BUDS” </em>said Merlin, as he shunted all the helmet’s processing into the neural nanomesh in my brain, while he used the supporting circulatory system to treat some of the damage caused by my concussion . I saccaded the visual overlay as I did a neat tuck and roll, sticking a three point landing that jarred my ankles. Merlin immediately began giving me enemy positions in the complex with the Argus drones and my immediate vicinity in the plaza by my armour’s suite of sensors. </p>
<p><em> “I thought you were the one with the hyper lethal tag” </em> he joked as he marked birdman as EKIA, his brain having been pulverised by the flashbang. </p>
<p><em> “Terminate all hostiles in the complex. I’m taking out the HVT” </em>I ordered as I located one of the tangos. He was lanky, with severed hands covering his face, head, clutching his neck and his arms. He was definitely glaring at me.</p>
<p>His glare morphed into wide-eyed disbelief as I whipped up my pistol and shot at him twice, center mass through his lung. I was feeling vicious. The red bloom in his chest was satisfying as he collapsed, shock written on his face. As I readjusted my aim to terminate, an inky black fog dropped him through the ground. Quickly, I sheath my knife and launch another primed flashbang through the portal as it closed. </p>
<p>There, that should cause him to lose a few more seconds of life. </p>
<p>Suddenly, the main door burst open and as soon as I heard the voice, I knew I had to get out.</p>
<p><b>“Have no fear students, for I Am Here!”</b> </p>
<p><em> “Merlin, get me an exfil route!” </em> I ordered, knowing that the Argus couldn’t support my weight.</p>
<p><em> “Copy. Hold on, FLASH traffic from--NO!” </em> Merlin shouted, panicking. I felt a jolt of pain run through me, as my system went offline, causing me to realise in exactly how much pain I was. </p>
<p>Concussion, damaged right ear, fractured cheekbone, some broken ribs and my right leg definitely had some torn muscles. Worst part, my BUDS went offline and the Argus drones went offline, causing their optical camo to deactivate and the drones crashed.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that they’re going to pin the entire attack on me. With the way these things go, I’m going to be in for it.</p>
<p>I was ready to use any means to get out of the area when someone yelled.</p>
<p>I turned to look at a blond guy wearing a black combat vest with green highlights and oversized gauntlets.</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>MHA:SAC</em> </b>
</p>
<p><b>Location: </b> Plaza, Unforseen Simulation Joint, UA High, Mustafu City, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan <b>, Date:</b> 11/03/2149 <b>, Time: </b> 1442 hrs local  <b>POV: </b>Katsuki Bakugou</p>
<p>When Bakugou Katsuki stumbled his way to the armoured figure standing away from All Might,  his arm broken, half deaf from using his grenade gauntlets under water, he wasn’t sure what he was doing. He stumbled over a piece of rubble, letting out a yell as he regained his balance. The figure snapped his gaze to reveal his helmet had cracked, exposing a part of his face. He looked at the figure. For some reason, the diamond shaped freckles, the shock of green hair and the green eye, even with a ring of eerie blue around it, rang an old buried hurt.</p>
<p>"Deku?" he asked cautiously, ready to move to protect his classmates and injured teachers from the unknown, who looked like an old ghost. One who he saw everyday in his waking dreams for the last nine years, surrounded by IV lines, wires, machines and tubes. Of a promise made to a dying friend.</p>
<p>
  <em> ‘Promise me that you’ll be the best hero Kacchan. That’s all I ask’ </em>
</p>
<p>"Who the hell is Deku?" the man asked as he fell to a knee, his gaze unnerving in its intensity. He was still armed with a pistol and combat knife, ready to fight his way out.</p>
<p>In a blur of motion, All Might moved. The man moved to defend himself as All Might grabbed him, his weapons having been knocked out of his now shattered hands.</p>
<p><b>“Surrender villain! You cannot escape!”</b> All Might thundered. The other man looked at him, his visible eye narrowing. Considering the blood dripping down the side of his head, Katsuki was pretty sure he had a concussion. And the medic in Katsuki was screaming that he had many more serious injuries than that, including the shattered hands.</p>
<p>“Bakugou!” cheered a familiar voice from behind, letting him see that Uraraka, Asui, Mineta and Kirishima, along with the rest of the class were coming up behind them. Nodding at his classmates after a quick visual scan showed no visible injuries, his eyes widened when he caught sight of Yaoyorozu, Jirou and Kurozetto.  </p>
<p>“Yo, class rep! What happened to you?!” he asked as he made his way over to the three girls, with Yaoyorozu and Kurozetto supporting Jirou. As he gestured at them to lay her down, Katsuki was surprised to find nanofoam in her ears, with red overtaking the silver of the foam.</p>
<p>“Don’t touch the foam until it turns red, there are nanobots in there. And even then, don’t pull it out, it requires a specialist fluid to break it down” whatever else he had to say was cut off as a tube landed on the ground near him. Katsuki tensed up, but looked down to see the very fluid necessary to do that. Everyone turned to look at the armoured man, who held a hand up, two fingers undamaged as he waved at them.</p>
<p>As Katsuki opened his mouth to yell a ton of pent-up vitriol that was bubbling away under the surface at him, the man tensed up. Then in a blur of motion, both he and All Might were launched apart, the Nomu guy landing where they were. As the Nomu launched a punch at where Katsuki and his classmates were bunched up, the armoured man grabbed it by the wrist and slammed a punch into the Nomu’s elbow, dislocating it. Judging by how the man was holding his arm, he had broken it.</p>
<p>“ALL MIGHT, NOW!” he yelled, and All Might came in with a punch.</p>
<p><b> <em>“DETROIT SMASH!” </em> </b>he yelled, launching the Nomu into the air. The armoured man leapt up and the next thing a spray of blood was visible. Three objects fell to the ground. </p>
<p>The armoured man.</p>
<p>The Nomu’s torso.</p>
<p>And the Nomu’s head.</p>
<p>Katsuki felt his gorge rise up, and heard other people behind him retch and throw up. </p>
<p>Then there was a flurry of movement as their faculty and EMT came down upon them.</p>
<p>The next thing Katsuki knew, he was being put on a stretcher and being loaded into an ambulance, with the painkillers muting his thoughts.</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>MHA:SAC</em> </b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. SAC 3: Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Hero Commission got outplayed, Section 9 are brought on the case and a student is attacked.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>SAC 3: Aftermath</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Location:</b>
  <span> Mustafu Police HQ, Mustafu, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan </span>
  <b>Date:</b>
  <span> 14/03/2149, </span>
  <b>Time:</b>
  <span> 0739 hrs  </span>
  <b>POV:</b>
  <span> Colonel Motoko Kusanagi </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Colonel Motoko Kusanagi, TacOps Commander of the elite counter terrorism and cybersecurity unit Public Security Section 9, observed the prime suspect of what was now being referred to as 'The USJ Incident' in the press through the security cameras of the interrogation room. He was well over six and a half feet, dressed in a black skin tight undersuit with a lean, rangy build, reminding her of a young eagle. His face was rather plain, almost unmemorable. The things that stood out were his dark green eyes, the diamond pattern freckles on his cheeks and his distinctive green hair, cropped close to his scalp in a crew cut. Since his arrival in the headquarters, the police had been working on getting him to talk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All they got was blank, stony silence. Not even a micro expression, a twitch of the muscle in the corner of his eye to indicate annoyance or a tightening of cheeks to indicate suppresed amusement at the attempts at trying to connect with him. He didn't even react to Detective Tsukauchi, who was widely known throughout the Japanese security services as a skilled interrogator. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whoever trained this boy were very good. And he was most certainly a boy, around her great granddaughter's age, sixteen years old or thereabouts. A mother's instinct, something she never thought she would ever have nearly a hundred years ago, now honed to a razor sharp edge, told her that he was only a child. And that thought made her want to find the people who had made him into a killing machine so that she could </span>
  <b>
    <em>destroy</em>
  </b>
  <span> them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Colonel?'</span>
  </em>
  <span> came the voice of Ishikawa over her cybercomms. Hopefully, he had managed to get a match on the trace she had requested for. They managed to secure ID samples from the soiled bandages used to treat their suspect's injuries. Which had opened another can of worms when the medics ran their scans on him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Standard X rays came back negative, showing nothing. MRI scans weren't any better. It took a SPECT scan using a nanotech dye dispenser to even know what was going on and had revealed even more troubling information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I don't know where the man ends and the machine begins"</span>
  </em>
  <span> one of the doctors, a Doctor Inko Midoriya, a well known cybernetics expert, had said after analysing the images. Subcutaneous carbon nanotube layers to act as a fail safe armour, ceramic ossification to increase bone density, higher than average muscle density, a redundant artificial heart set behind the stomach with a secondary circulatory system connected to the original. And his brain had some kind of nanomesh coating, enhancing his brain activity to a point where </span>
  <em>
    <span>theoretically</span>
  </em>
  <span> he didn't need to use his </span>
  <em>
    <span>brain</span>
  </em>
  <span> to </span>
  <b>
    <em>think</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tamping down on that train of thought that would make her blood pressure rise, she keyed in her comms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Ishikawa, give me some good news'</span>
  </em>
  <span> she said. The sigh she got in response is not promising. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I'm sorry Colonel, but the samples we got? Forensics got no matches. He's a literal ghost. No name, no ID, even the DNA fragments that were rescued from the nanites didn't match up to anything' </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ishikawa reported. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Wait, you said nanites?'</span>
  </em>
  <span> asked Kayabuki, as Togusa and Saito drove her and Aramaki to meet the Hero Commission to throw their political weight and get the investigation under Section 9's jurisdiction. This one would require their personal attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After all, Motoko's great granddaughter had been among the victims of the attack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Yes ma'am. They immediately began destroying the fragments available as soon as they were introduced into the medium. Some kind of fail-safe' </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ishikawa reported, his voice gruff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Bourma, have you run a facial recognition on him against missing persons?' </span>
  </em>
  <span>Motoko asked, knowing her team's EOD specialist was terrifyingly methodical in his searches. She continued to watch the interrogation, as one of the interrogators, a man with a cat's head, lost his temper and grabbed a pen and began waving it in front of the suspect, whose eyes were ringed </span>
  <em>
    <span>blue…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next thing Motoko knew was that their suspect was on his feet, the table in between flying at the interrogators slamming into them and smashing through the one way mirror. He grabbed the pen from the air and held it in a reverse grip and stabbed down at the neck of the cat headed inspector, then leapt out of the interrogation chamber.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All this in three seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'The suspect is lose! I repeat the suspect is lose! He just attacked his interrogators and broke out! I am in pursuit. Batou, Pazu, block him!'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Motoko ordered as she ran out of the security room, slamming open the door and unholstering her pistol. She shouldered past the milling officers as fire alarms and sprinklers burst into life, adding to the chaos by deafening and reducing visibility.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'You are to use non-lethal force. Disable him and extract him to HQ!'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Aramaki ordered immediately, knowing that having control over the suspect would ensure that they would handle the case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Roger!' </span>
  </em>
  <span>came the simultaneous reply of the team at the Police HQ, as Motoko bulled her way through the mess into a corridor leading to the interrogation room. The sound of unarmed combat could be faintly heard over the alarms as she leapt over unconscious cops that lined the path her suspect had taken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Colonel, I have con...holy </span>
  </em>
  <span>fuck</span>
  <em>
    <span> this kid is </span>
  </em>
  <span>fast</span>
  <em>
    <span>! And strunghh' </span>
  </em>
  <span>grunted Pazu. And considering that Pazu was also the unit's CQB instructor, this was extremely worrying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Batou?'</span>
  </em>
  <span> she asked, worried that one of her oldest friend's and teammate was going to be overwhelmed, as she skidded on some water while taking a corner, soaked to the bone as she slammed into the wall. Using it for leverage, she shot off down the hall, using her superior balance and strength to bounce off the walls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Motoko, I am in hard contact with the suspect and me and Pazu can barely keep up with him. You have to get here </span>
  </em>
  <span>now!</span>
  <em>
    <span>' </span>
  </em>
  <span>Batou said, his tone clipped as he fought. Motoko launched herself at the next wall, took a glance and saw the suspect fighting Batou and Pazu and the both of them were on the defensive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>How is he fighting with his injuries?</span>
  </em>
  <span> was her most prominent thought as she launched herself, aiming to shoulder check their suspect in his right side ribs, which were badly cracked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she saw his body become larger in her vision, she knew she had him, when he </span>
  <em>
    <span>moved.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a blur of motion, which made a small corner of her mind acknowledge the sheer </span>
  <em>
    <span>craftiness </span>
  </em>
  <span>he exhibited, he grabbed Pazu in an arm bar and pivoted on his right foot, slamming Pazu into Motoko's midsection, driving the air out of her lungs. In the same motion, he disarmed Pazu of his knife. Continuing his motion, he ducks under Batou's left cross and punches him with a counter, lifting him off of his feet. Then he lunged at Batou's neck with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>knife…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>"NO!"</em>
  </b>
  <span> Motoko heard herself scream as she launched her most powerful hack at him. Blue ringed green eyes, cold as icebergs, cut to look at her and she saw the brief flash of </span>
  <em>
    <span>triumph</span>
  </em>
  <span> in them. And she knew she had just been played.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hack took immediate hold of the three Section 9 members as the knife slammed into and through Batou's shirt collar, pining him to wall. The hack locked all their motor functions, preventing them from moving.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Colonel Kusanagi, it's an honour to meet you. I wish these were better circumstances but…'</span>
  </em>
  <span> came an unknown voice over her cybercomms, </span>
  <em>
    <span>a young voice</span>
  </em>
  <span>, as a data dump occurred, dropping a large file into her cyber brain, giving her a migraine. The suspect swiftly pocketed Batou's pistol and spare magazine, then turned to look at her, giving Motoko a respectful nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'This should clear me of any wrongdoing. But now, I must leave you. Adieu'</span>
  </em>
  <span> he said as he ran down the corridor, making his way for the window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Wait, what are you doing?!' </span>
  </em>
  <span>Motoko called after him, both through her hacked comms and verbally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Saving her!" he called after her as he launched himself at the window smashing through it. The hack immediately stopped and the three Section 9 members reached the window to see their suspect disappear under active camouflage, looking back at them as he fell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did he just steal your move?" Pazu asked in disbelief, his tone conveying his shock at how easily the three of them, the senior most and top operators of Section 9 had been outplayed by someone who probably only had a tenth of their individual experience.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What did he mean 'save her'? Save who?" asked Batou, prompting Motoko to check the file he had dumped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A video file, several intercept transcripts and a </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill order</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For Momo Yaoyorozu, A.K.A. the only non cyberized student, A.K.A. their star witness who was unaffected by the e-bomb that had hit all the students and could prove conclusively that their suspect was innocent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We need to get the girl into protective custody" Motoko said as she got her reeling under control. Turning around, she reached out to the entire command staff of Section 9 through the cybercomms, double checking the security of their channel, as she walked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Ishikawa, check the veracity of the info dump I just received. Batou, Pazu, get to the girl and her family, get them to a safehouse. Bourma, start running traces on the intercepts, see if you can isolate them. Chief, please throw the book at the Hero Commission, they did not have the capability to hold someone of this caliber. Togusa, spin up your teams, Bourma will give them their taskings and we'll go after these intercepts and get some more information"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Motoko started immediately, going into operations mode.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'What are you hoping to find Colonel?' </span>
  </em>
  <span>asked Aramaki, who knew what she was after through experience, but wanted her to spell it out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is an obvious false flag, using the Yaoyorozu girl as a stalking horse to draw out the kid. I'm betting that whatever ambush has been set up will have a plan to deal with him too. We need to stop them from regaining such an asset. We have the resources and the authority to do so. Let's go hunting" Motoko said nodding as she saw Batou and Pazu run out to do their part in her plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>MHA:SAC</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Location:</b>
  <span> In a private car, on National Route 14, approaching Mustafu, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan </span>
  <b>Date:</b>
  <span> 14/03/2149, </span>
  <b>Time:</b>
  <span>0805 hrs  </span>
  <b>POV:</b>
  <span> Momo Yaoyorozu</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Are you sure about going back to UA?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> asked Shinrai Kokoro, her longtime boyfriend and lover, his voice tight with concern. It touched her whenever he was sensitive and caring for her. Around him and her parents, she could drop her mask of being the Yaoyorozu heiress and she could be just Momo. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>freeing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She let her smile grow as she listened on her phone, while watching the scenery of multiple moving vehicles zip by. Momo reminded herself to thank Hiroto Saito, the family chief of security, since she was seven, for ordering her driver to take her on the scenic route, a rare treat for her. She would be just on time instead of being early to class today, but that was a small thing compared to allowing her to indulge in her hobby of people watching. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hiroto, a retired Ranger from her mother's JGSDF unit, had as much a hand in raising her as her own parents did. He was her mentor, confidant and best friend. He also introduced  a wide eyed seven year old Momo to the basics of self defence, slowly grading her skills up until now where she could go toe to toe with the best in unarmed CQB and win. The incident which cemented his place in the Yaoyorozu family was during the kidnapping incident, when her parents had got stuck in Seoul as they were investigating a fraud that was occurring in their nanotech medical business subsidiary. During that time, the fraudster hacked into their estate's security and sent a Yakuza hit squad to grab her to coerce her parents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Momo remembered clinging to him in fear as he calmly rapped out orders to the family security team, stopping the assault cold. And she knew who she wanted to be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A calm, clear headed leader. Someone who could be both the rock that everyone relied on and remain level headed and tactical under pressure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Watching the group of people in the bus passing by, she wondered what the young man in the hoodie at the window was thinking, his grey eyes standing out on an otherwise plain face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll be fine! And you do know that what happened was supposed to be an anomaly, right?" Momo replied, her voice light with amusement. But this was a thin veneer, hiding her fear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could still </span>
  <em>
    <span>smell</span>
  </em>
  <span> the blood, conductive fluid and cordite.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She continued her conversation with her boyfriend, asking after his studies in Tokyo University in Performing Arts, as Genji, the driver, drove them to the exit ramp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, a truck in front of the line swerved, jamming the exit. Immediately, horns started blaring at the obstruction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Genji, what's going on?" Momo asked Genji as she closed the call and took off her seatbelt to look at the situation. As Genji turned to reply, something odd happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The truck driver exited his vehicle and jogged off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As this occurred, two things happened simultaneously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mother called her phone, causing her to look down at it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, she was pushed into the back of the car, as a shockwave slammed into her body. The windshield sheared under the blast, causing half of it to bend and slam into Genji, cutting him in half. Fragments of metal ripped into her body, causing her to feel as if she were being shot by red hot knives. Her ears rang from the explosion. She felt her ribs creak under the shockwave as she hurtled into the rear windshield. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pain slammed into her body as she hit the windshield, losing sensation in her right arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lost consciousness in a pool of blood and spilled guts, half of Genji's body on top of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>MHA:SAC</em>
  </b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. SAC 4: Counters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Moves and counter moves.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b> <em>SAC 4: Counters</em> </b>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><b>Location:</b> In a private car, 200 meters away from National Route 14 exit, approaching Mustafu, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan,  <b>Date:</b> 14/03/2149, <b>Time: </b> 0803 hrs  <b>POV: 'Hunter'</b></p><p>
  
</p><p>I turned on the right indicator as I trailed the Yaoyorozu car, keeping to ten car lengths behind and sticking to the second from the left lane. While they may not have anyone trained in counter-surveillance, it never hurt to be too careful.</p><p><em> So what's the plan? </em>asked Merlin. My TVI had been quiet throughout our escape, only giving me directions, hacking into the local security servers to scrub my presence clean and unlocking the car that we were in.</p><p>I pushed the pain in my body to the back as my vision tinted grey as I replied, <em> We continue to tail her, and work out who are the targets. Have you managed to get in contact with Overlord yet? </em></p><p><em> Negative Hunter. I'm currently working on reestablishing comms with them. I’ve hacked into all civil comms and I’m...wait. I’m picking up short-range comms. Encrypted, </em>whatever else Merlin was saying I lost track of as my healing injuries flared.</p><p>I needed to stop soon and get some nutrition in me, otherwise, my systems would start shunting nutrients from non-essential organs to repair essential ones.</p><p>Which is how on a bad op last year in Boutoko, Burkina Faso, I lost half my large intestine. Thankfully, my systems recognised my appendix as a vestigial organ and started from there.</p><p>I felt slightly feverish as Merlin worked overtime to keep me at operational capacity while monitoring the exact position of our target in the traffic and keeping an ear out for enemy chatter. I needed to capture one of them, alive preferably.</p><p>Yaoyorozu was bait, that was my only interest in her. I needed to find the rest of the cell. And <em>rip </em>their minds of any actionable intelligence.</p><p>Because only the people who created me would know how to disable me during the USJ incident. Which raises two possibilities. The first was that the HVT behind the assault had suborned their resources. Which made the possibility of that kind of tech is out in the black market worrisome, and in the hands of criminals would have sent crime skyrocketing.</p><p>The second, and worse possibility, the organization that made me, <em> conditioned </em>me to be their weapon and from whom I broke away from by developing an actual <em>conscience </em>when I was specifically bred to <em>not </em>have one, is more terrifying.</p><p>I'd rather burn Yaoyorozu to ash rather than let even a <em> scrap </em>of her DNA remain.</p><p>I wouldn't want even the worst monsters in the world to fall into their hands.</p><p><em> You're willing to sacrifice her for mission intelligence? </em> Merlin asked, his tone neutral as we trailed behind the target vehicle.</p><p><em> If they're still active and were able to hit me with a hack strong enough that you were working overtime over three days to just restore functionality? I'm not taking any chances, we'll wait for them to commit and then neutralise them. In the event she dies….well, more red in my ledger, </em>I replied, my eyes narrowing in suspicion when the truck 6 cars ahead of us suddenly jackknifed, slamming into the cars around it. More importantly, it blocked the exit ramp and causing a traffic pile-up, emphasised by the vehicle behind me slamming me, the airbags deploying and obscuring my field of vision.</p><p><em> Hunter, get out NOW!, </em> Merlin yelled, exacerbating my migraine and jolting my system into motion as I dropped the seat back and pushed myself with my feet, sliding out. I tucked myself into a ball and opened the driver side rear door, rolling out. Just in time too, as heavy calibre bullets scythed through the vehicle, turning it into swiss cheese.</p><p><em> Cloak engaged, </em>Merlin informed me, allowing the nanomesh layer under my skin to extend thin filaments through my pores and out my pilfered clothes, weaving around and activating the diffraction field as soon as the circuit was complete.</p><p>I peeked out of cover to see what looked like modified Warhounds, American semi-autonomous think tanks. Last I checked, they did not have machine guns. </p><p>Mortars and CLOS guided missiles, yes. Machine guns, no. </p><p>Ah well, seems old man Murphy wanted me to be screwed. </p><p><em> Can you hack the Warhounds?, </em> I asked Merlin as I scooted around, trying to stay out of the think tank’s line of sight. I couldn’t maintain my cloak for long, not with how many systems in me were occupied in keeping me alive and upright. </p><p><em> Negative, whoever is controlling them has them on a short-range command channel. They need to be taken out before we can even think of taking them on. I’ll continue trying to get in touch with Overlord, see if we can get some CAS</em>, replied Merlin. I poked my head out to see how many and counted two Warhounds. </p><p>Yup, someone upstairs hates me. On an unspoken signal, the Warhounds opened fire with their mortars, sending up gouts of fire and shrapnel as they began indiscriminately targeting civilians, causing chaos.</p><p><em> We need to terminate the operator now Merlin. Can you ID them? </em>I asked, dodging the running, bleeding civilians, making my way towards the centre of the chaos.</p><p>I grimly watched as a small family in the far lane tried to run, the husband pushed his family ahead of him, a cut on his head bleeding freely. His wife, who had a dislocated left shoulder, carried their youngest child in her right arm while their eldest, a little girl of six dressed in a preschooler uniform, was being urged along. Both children were crying in shock and fear, made worse by the panic of their parents. A sudden fusillade scythed through them, dismembering the man immediately and cutting off the woman’s right arm and leg, causing her to fall and drop the baby. In the same instant, as the little girl turned to look back, a mortar dropped right in the middle of them.</p><p>The little girl’s arm, still clothed in her uniform sleeve, the edges singed and the end charred, fell on the hood of the car to my left. It was so <em>tiny</em>.</p><p>Similar scenes played out along the highway as I took cover. I knew I couldn’t do anything against them without any intel. I would just end up becoming part of the casualties. </p><p>No matter how I felt about it.</p><p>And I felt an unbelievable amount of <em>rage </em>flow into me. </p><p>Wordlessly, Merlin pulled up a display on my BUDS, showing CCTV footage of the highway. Using that information, he created a three-dimensional tactical map with markings designating the enemy positions.</p><p><em> I'm engaging, you have overwatch? </em> I asked Merlin as I stuck to cover, keeping myself focused so that I didn't take any irrational actions.</p><p><em> Always, </em>he replied, redoubling his efforts to secure a channel with the Warhounds.</p><p><em> All right, let’s go hunting, </em>I said as I drew my weapons and moved.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>MHA: SAC</em> </b>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><b>Location:</b> National Route 14 exit for Mustafu, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan, <b>Date:</b> 14/03/2149, <b>Time: </b> 0810 hrs  <b>POV: </b>Shōta ‘Oxide One’ Seki</p><p> </p><p>Seki Shōta was impressed with the new gear his group and he got access to from their new backers, though he was uncomfortable with his current mission objectives.</p><p>
  <em> 'Your primary objective is to eliminate Yaoyorozu Momo. Your secondary objective is to cause maximum chaos. Once you have completed all objectives, exfiltrate. You have fifteen minutes before any response occurs. In the event you meet any opposition, eliminate them’ </em>
</p><p>The orders had been given by an anonymous VoIP, who had masked their presence completely from even the best net diving attempts of Seki’s entire group.</p><p>Considering they had been hired for ¥ 50,000,000, with another ¥ 50,000,000 on successful completion of this mission and the new gear thrown in with the promise of receiving additional contracts in the future, the Shiro Hebi was set to make a mark on the mercenary and villain world. Even though their first mission was less than savoury, they would do it to ensure that the group would be taken seriously.</p><p>‘<em> Oxide One, Cobalt One. Approaching the target vehicle. Will confirm liquidation of primary target </em>’ came the voice of Cobalt team leader, one of the four six-man fire teams deployed for the operation. Along with the four Warhounds, it made for about half their force deployed on the bridge to ensure that their target was successfully eliminated. </p><p><em> ‘Copy that. Metal and Oxide teams will maintain a perimeter with the Warhounds, Bravo will prep vehicles for extract. We have eight minutes people. Let’s move!’ </em> he ordered into his cybercomms as Bravo hustled past his team and the Warhounds on their side of the bridge as they maintained a perimeter along the northside exit. The thrum of VTOLs and wail of police sirens could be heard in the distance.</p><p><em> 'Man down! Man down! Metal Four is dowughk!' </em>caught off-guard by the sudden squelching of the cry of the drone operator, Seki was taken by surprise as a burst of automatic fire from across the exit ramp forced his team into cover.</p><p>And things promptly went to hell as the channel was filled with gunfire, breaking bones and panicked cries.</p><p>
  <em> ‘We need back-gagh!’ </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ‘Sto-ugh!’ </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ‘Get him! Get hi-gugh!’ </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ‘Save me!’ </em>
</p><p>Just as suddenly it started, it stopped. An uneasy, foreboding silence pressed down over them, interspersed with the crackling flames issuing from the burnt-out wrecks around them.</p><p><em> ‘What the hell was that?’ </em> someone hissed over the cyber comms. Seki ignored it in favour of checking Metal team's IFFs for life signs. </p><p><em> 'Cobalt, Oxide. Be advised, unknown hostiles have terminated Metal. I'm sending Four, Five and Six to back you up. Locate, identify and eliminate the threat' </em>Seki ordered his teams, raging inside at how he lost one-fourth of his force in what should have been a simple operation.</p><p><em> ‘Copy Oxide-Lead’ </em> came the reply as three of Seki’s team went over to back up Cobalt’s position.</p><p><em> ‘Oxide, we have a visu-what?! Oxide, be advised, tango has therm-optic camo!’ </em> came an immediate notification from Cobalt-Three.</p><p><em> ‘Switch to magnetics. Let’s flush this bastard out’ </em> Seki ordered, knowing that they would be able to beat any therm-optic using magnetics. The only problem with magnetics was that some degree of spatial awareness was lost due to everything being reduced to wireframe and internal parts.</p><p><em> ‘I see him. Open fire!’ </em>called Cobalt-Three, firing a controlled burst. This, unsurprisingly, resulted in the rest of Cobalt opening fire.</p><p>Horror washed over Seki when he heard the screams of his team, sent to reinforce Cobalt, die from friendly fire.</p><p><b> <em>'Well, I think we are done here’</em> </b> resounded an unknown, metallic and grating voice. And then all Seki knew was <em>pain</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>MHA: SAC</em> </b>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><b>Location:</b> On National Route 14 exit for Mustafu, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan <b>Date:</b> 14/03/2149, <b>Time: </b> 0814 hrs  <b>POV: 'Hunter'</b></p><p>
  
</p><p><em> Targets eliminated, </em>reported Merlin as I quickly slotted the team near Yaoyorozu's car, while the weapons on the Warhounds fired, the mortars taking out the enemy perimeter and missiles took out the extraction.</p><p><em> Affirmative Merlin, moving to secure HVI </em> I confirmed, savouring their terror as I absorbed the information we ripped from their minds.  </p><p>I analysed the information I received as I pried the door off of the car. Light filtered in on a grisly scene of body parts and blood. But she was breathing. Which, honestly was the important thing in the end.</p><p><em> Alright, let’s get her out of here and scavenge for some more medical supplies from these chaps. Then we’ve got to get the hell out of here </em>I said as I reached out and pulled the girl out from under the corpse, knowing that I should leave her behind for emergency services to find and not trusting anyone to keep her alive for the next three hours.</p><p>If she was lucky, that is.</p><p>I nearly blacked out, my vision greying and tunnelling as I lowered Yaoyorozu onto the road, supporting her neck just in case she had fractured it in the attack. I shook my head and took a deep breath as I steadied myself. Detaching the medical pouch I swiped from one of the perimeter teams, I set to my task.</p><p>I ran a quick check on Yaoyorozu, determining her injuries and conducting immediate first aid to prevent her from losing any more blood than she already lost. Popping her right arm back into her shoulder was done immediately. </p><p>Having completed the necessities, I sat back on my haunches, fighting off a dizzy spell as hunger and pain spread through my body, nearly causing me to collapse.</p><p><em> You know what we have to do Hunter. She’ll be lucky to make it to the hospital at all if we leave her here </em> Merlin informed me as he kept an eagle eye out for incoming authorities.</p><p><em> And she’ll be a dead weight to us. We’ve always operated alone and you know why </em> I replied, the spark of anger helping me in steadying myself.</p><p><em> Do you want to add red to your ledger, Hunter? Or should I say Bravo-Three-One-Two? </em> Merlin replied, his rebuke cutting me to the quick.</p><p>I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, held it in and let it out slowly through my nose as I felt the conditioning that I had thrown away in a rush to become <em>human </em>assert their control over me.</p><p>All the aches, pains, hunger and tiredness washed away from me as I felt my mind settle back into a well-worn groove, where the mission came first.</p><p>And I now knew what my mission was.</p><p>I looked down at the unconscious and bandage covered form on the ground.</p><p>And as every hunter knows, every trap needs <em>bait. </em></p><p>
  
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  <b> <em>MHA: SAC</em> </b>
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</p><p><b>Location:</b> <b>[REDACTED],</b> <b>Date:</b> <b>[REDACTED]</b>, <b>Time: [REDACTED],</b>  <b>POV: [REDACTED]</b></p><p>
  
</p><p>“Well, he certainly is making his presence felt” one observer commented, his Arkansas drawl rolling through the SCIF, as the news of the large scale terror attack in Tokyo played on the news, the first one in the last five decades.</p><p>“Sir, are we operating alongside local forces?” asked another voice, his neutral accent belied how his voice was one filled with authority and experience.</p><p>“Negative. You have executive authority to accomplish this mission how you deem fit. Our objective is simple, asset denial. We go in and get him before they do” rumbled a third voice, a deep baritone that underlined his accent, betraying his Baltic origins.</p><p>“We’ll get it done sir. You can count on it”  </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b> <em>MHA: SAC</em> </b>
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</p><p><b>Location:</b> <b>[REDACTED],</b> <b>Date:</b> <b>[REDACTED]</b>, <b>Time: [REDACTED],</b>  <b>POV: [REDACTED]</b></p><p>
  
</p><p>“You wished to see me, ma’am?” asked a voice, his slight Scottish accent giving him an edge of gravitas, that concealed the steel that saw him through three decades of serving the world out on a razor’s edge.</p><p> “Yes. Our asset has gone missing. Locate and secure him immediately” said a voice, her assured tone and accentless voice hiding her true origins, as she handed over the tablet.</p><p>“The to-do in Tokyo, I presume?” he asked, as he read the briefing and his cover identity. </p><p>“Yes. You’re to leave immediately. Transport and all other expenses will be taken care of from here. You will be operating out of the Mustafu office, so accommodations and other asset requirements will be met from there”</p><p>“What about coordinating with local forces?”</p><p>“Use your judgement, but if they try to harm him, you have carte blanche to do everything in your power to bring our boy home” the calm delivery belied the motherly wrath this woman could bring to bear when threatened with the loss of even one of her members.</p><p>Probably explained the complete loyalty that she commanded from all her subordinates.</p><p>“I’ll get it done ma’am” he replied as he turned to the exit.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b> <em>MHA: SAC</em> </b>
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